16. Fontignano - Montali - Monte Solare

This itinerary starts in the square of Fontignano and heads uphill towards Montali. Leaving the village and going around the old tower, we cross terraced olive groves and thickets of downy oaks, then coming upon a panoramic glade planted with cherry trees. Across from this is the hill of Montali, with its characteristic fortification at the top; to the left we can see a valley covered with olive groves, pastures and tilled land, and Colle San Paolo and Mongiovino Vecchio, ending – on the right – with a view of the valley of Mugnano and the hill of Agello. Following the signs, we walk through the springtime explosion of yellow Spanish broom and come to Montali (580 m). We circle around the complex, which has been converted into an inn, and head to the church (approximately 200 m), which overlooks the woods of Marzolana, Lake Trasimeno, Montalera and the stretch of farmland facing the lake. To the right, the outlines of Corciano and Perugia and their hillsides mark the horizon. From here, we can enjoy one of the most fascinating vistas of the southern side of Lake Trasimeno.

Turning left, we take the wide road towards Colle San Paolo, soon leaving the road near the pass of Porta Materna and entering woods of downy oaks and turkey oaks, following the main track. We emerge on the northeast side of Monte Solare, in a scenic area above Villa Monte Solare and its olive groves. The path across the hillside, which becomes very colourful when it blooms in the spring, descends to the left towards the lovely villa that, with its annexes, is now a tourist structure. We go back to the road that leads from Montali to Colle San Paolo, turning off it again to the left and descending slowly through the gently rolling countryside to Fontignano. The total length of the itinerary is 14.130 km.